Various fabrics having the deodorizing effect have heretofore been proposed to remove bad smell derived from sweat and smell of people, cigarettes and pet animals. For example, an insertion sheet for shoes using a fiber formed with a polymer containing a combination of a carboxylic acid and a transition metal salt is proposed as the deodorant insertion sheet for shoes (refer to Patent Reference 1). However, when the sheet is impregnated with an elastic polymer to enhance with tear strength and the abrasion strength, the surface of the fiber in the sheet is coated with the polymer, and the deodorant property decreases since the deodorant is mixed into the fiber in this insertion sheet of shoes. When the surface of the fiber is kept exposed, a problem arises in that the abrasion resistance of the surface decreases.
A deodorant moisture-permeable water-proof fabric in which a finely porous resin coating film formed on the surface of a fabric contains a substance exhibiting the deodorant property and the fraction of pores is 20 to 70% as obtained in accordance with a specific equation is proposed (refer to Patent Reference 2). However, this fabric cannot be applied to the suede-type leather-like sheet.
A fibrous fabric having a photo-catalyst of titanium oxide fixed in the fibrous fabric with a resin binder is proposed (refer to Patent Reference 3). However, this fabric has a drawback in that obtaining a fabric having a soft feel is difficult since the fibrous fabric is fixed with the resin binder, and fibers are fixed to each other.
An antibacterial suede-type artificial leather composed of an elastic polymer and an entangled nonwoven fabric comprising fiber bundles, in which medium microfine fiber (A) which contains particles of a phosphoric acid salt holding an ion of a metal such as silver and zinc and having an average diameter of 1 μm or smaller (substantially about 0.5 μm) and has a diameter of the fiber of 3 to 10 μm and microfine fiber (B) having a diameter of 1 μm or smaller are mixed in specific relative amounts, and exhibiting excellent appearance and durability is proposed (refer to Patent Reference 4). However, the artificial leather proposed in Patent Reference 4 has a problem in that the appearance tends to be deteriorated since the particles of the deodorant have great diameters and napped fibers tend to be agglomerated (i.e., formation of thick stumps of fibers by agglomeration of napped fibers), and that the appearance of the surface tends to be whitened when a sufficient amount of the antibacterial agent is provided.
An antibacterial deodorant fiber in which fine particles of titanium oxide supporting silver are attached to the surface without placing a resin binder between the surface and the particles is proposed (refer to Patent Reference 5). However, this fiber has a problem in that obtaining a sufficient deodorizing effect from a suede-type leather-like sheet obtained by using the above microfine fiber is difficult when the amount of the attached deodorant is small although it is described that the fiber exhibits excellent antibacterial and deodorant functions, shows little decrease in the feel and has the resistance to laundering.
Patent Reference 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei 02(1990)-63403
Patent Reference 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei 01(1989)-280073
Patent Reference 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei 08(1996)-074171
Patent Reference 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei 06(1994)-346376
Patent Reference 5: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei 10(1998)-280270